Council postpones Straub vote again

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - More than eight hours of testimony spanning two meetings, and still no vote on the mayor's re-appointment of Public Safety Director Frank Straub.

Members of the City County Council members on Wednesday opted to wait on a no-confidence vote. They’ll reconsider the topic at their May 16 meeting.

That decision comes the same day that f ormer IMPD leaders held a news conference calling for Straub’s ousting , and a day after the revelation that blood evidence in the Officer David Bisard case had been mishandled.

During the three-hour Wednesday night meeting of the council's Public Safety and Criminal Justice Committee, Straub's performance as Public Safety director came under attack.

The most pointed questions of the evening came from Councillor Frank Mascari, who asked: “Why is everyone at IMPD accountable for their actions but you?”

Straub replied by saying: “First of all, I am accountable for my actions, which is why I’m here in front of this board. The last time I sat here I sat here for five hours . I’m sitting here tonight, and I’ll come back as many times as I have to.”

Mascari followed up by accusing Straub of throwing his subordinates under the bus every time something goes wrong.

Straub defended the decisions he’s made and the direction he’s taking the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.

“We have a system that needs to be reformed. It is 37 years that I can document to you of issues,” Straub said.

And he did document it. Citing police problems that dated back to the Lugar administration of the 1970s, Straub argued the need for drastic change within the department. Change, he said, he is trying to implement.

“We don’t have the right to do things wrong; we have to do it right every single time. And when we don’t do it right there has to be appropriate action taken,” Straub said.

Straub spent part of the night briefing committee members about the mishandling of blood evidence in the Officer David Bisard case.

Straub told committee members the people who work in IMPD’s property room were never properly trained.

The Public Safety director also told committee members the mayor’s choice for interim police chief, Rick Hite, is not certified to work in that position. Straub said Hite is getting the necessary paperwork together to become certified. Hite spent his career working for the Baltimore Police Department.

In the meantime, newly appointed Assitant Police Chief William Lorah was named to serve as assistant police chief.